Interview with Gift Of Gab

TIMOTHY PARKER OPENS UP ON THE “COSMIC FUNKY HIP HOP” OF HIS SECOND SOLO ALBUM AS GIFT OF GAB.

Gift Of Gab interviewed for Rip2Shredz  //  Street Press Australia  //  Hiphop.sh
@ 14.00 AEST - 28th May, 2010

A scheduled phone call with Timothy Parker is turned to an emailer, which in hindsight seems short-minded as the West Coast USA MC eats dictionaries and spits ‘Alphabet Aerobics’ under the moniker of Gift Of Gab. The interview was met by Parker, forever stargazing, already  mapping ahead from his latest interstellar album drop with pen to paper. “I’m situated in the Bay Area, which has been home for the past 13 years,” he explains concisely. “You caught me on a writing day, working on future releases.”

Despite the name and his heavy word flow, Parker is brief and to the point with his responses, but with his most recent solo venture Escape 2 Mars, the original Solesides MC had all but blasted off into space after leaving behind another conceptually inter-planetary record.

Timothy Parker first met Chief Xcel in Sacramento at high school and a year later in 1988, worked their hip hop together. During a college hiatus, Xcel joined an eccentric hip hop collective called the Solesides and by ‘91 Blackalicious was formed in the Bay Area of Cali – and by 1994 the pair had promptly dropped their debut single, ‘Swan Lake’. By ‘99 they reshaped into Quannum and released the A2G EP. Gift Of Gab blossomed into one the most technically skilled lyricists to flourish from the West Coast.

Blackalicious furthered their catalogue with 2000’s NIA and 2002’s Blazing Arrow while Parker trekked on several guest appearances alongside DJ Vadim, New Flesh (from the UK) and Michael Franti from Spearhead. From here Gab recorded his solo debut with producers Vitamin D and Jake One from Seattle in 2004 for 4th Dimensional Rocketships Going Up – a return to a creative space, spent outside he and DJ Chief Xcel’s Blackalicious priorities. And most recently with producers DNAEBEATS and Mighty Underdog partner Headnotic, Gift Of Gab dropped his second solo effort Escape 2 Mars. It has been described as “funkadelic psychedelica”, “daisy-age hip hop, space-jazz experimentation and neo-soul” and from the gift horse’s mouth, “cosmic funky hip hop is the best way I could describe the album”.

It keeps in theme with the first, dropped five year ago. But however Intergalactic in theme and definitely soundscape this comes off as, Parker’s album is very galactic in message.

“The title track addresses global warming, whereas ‘Electric Waterfalls’ is more about conspiracy theories,” he summises. “There are other topics addressed but since I started the process with those songs I decided to go with a space like theme.”

Environmental politics and a failing medical system is covered on ‘Electric Waterfalls’ and other affecting conspiracies around us bring gravity back to the album. Parker provokes a greener consciousness into our footsteps but without pushing the guilt trip – Parker insists this is only his outlook.

“I think its up to each individual to make change. I am an observer. I observe and I write about what I see and how I feel,” Parker states, arguing that the process of writing lyrics and making music is therapeutic. “Creating is like therapy, escaping into my own world. Performing is when I get to share that world and receive automatic feedback,” he adds on his imminent Australian visit with San Francisco beatsmith DNAEBEATS as his sidekick.

The last time he graced our shores was for Parklife 2008 as part of Blackalicious, who Parker adds will continue with another album. “Xcel and I have started working on the next Blackalicious album. Expect an EP towards the end of the year, and a full length in 2011. I love the chemistry of working with different producers, but it’s always good to get back in the lab with Xcel.”

How are you, where are you situated now please and what have I caught you in the middle of, today?

I’m great. Situated in the bay area, which has been home for the past 13 years. You caught me on a writing day. Working on future releases.

Last time you hit Australia was for Parklife 2008 with Blackalicious – did you pack your bags differently for your return now presenting as a solo artist?

Not really a big difference. As long as I ‘ve got enough gear for the trip.

You have such a heavy guest list; will you be bringing any friends we may know down here with you?

I will be bringing out my dude DNAE BEATS who has been my touring DJ for the past year and also produced majority of e2m.

No Chief Xcel then…? Can you shed any light on new developments between you two?

Excel and I have started working on the next blackalicious album. Expect an EP towards the end of the year, and a full length in 2011.

Do you relish the chance to flex your vocab lyrically on new tracks more so than performing them over live? Simply put: Are you the creator or the performer first?

I enjoy both. Creating is like therapy, escaping into my own world. Performing is when I get to share that world and receive automatic feedback.

Most work you and the Quannum house release is often through different labels, does this keep label execs from getting in the way of the creative process to an album?

We just like to be able to be free, and work with and learn from others. It’s a big world.

So Escape 2 Mars, such a conceptual body of work, intergalactic even… Are the boundaries to your music endless and this pays homage to such freedom? What is the concept here?

The title track addresses global warming. Electric waterfalls is more about conspiracy theories. There are other topics addressed but since I started the process with those songs I decided to go with a space like theme.

You make mentions of global warming, a failing medical system on ‘Electric Waterfalls’ and other affecting conspiracies around us, is Gift of Gab a good tool for raising a more greener consciousness into our footprints or do you feel compelled to do more?

Think its up to each individual to make change. I am an observer. I observe and I write about what I see and how I feel.

Are you a buff for the solar system, space travel and discovering other life forms?

I believe we live in an infinite universe. There’s always more to know.

I’ve read “Funkadelic psychedelica” / “space-jazz experimentation and neo-soul” to describe Escape 2 Mars – how would you describe this project to someone who was hearing impaired?

Cosmic funky hip-hop is the best way I could describe the album.

Holding on with DNAEBEATS and Headnotic from Mighty Underdogs to produce this latest LP, is there a new synergy you’ve been missing since Blackalicious days?

I love the chemistry of working with different producers, but it’s always good to getback in the lab with excel.

What is on the calendar for Gift Of Gab when you finish up the Australian tour?

Shows, tours, and the studio. The life I love living.

WHO: Gift Of Gab [ Album review here ]
WHAT: Escape 2 Mars (Quannum/Other Tongues)
WHERE & WHEN: X&Y Bar Saturday Jun 12